A Pro Bowl selection in 2023 with 81 catches and 882 yards, a nine-year veteran with 384 career receptions for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns, and a first-round pick who spent his entire NFL career with one organization before moving on.
He visited the Ravens in March. Nothing materialized.
Now the Los Angeles Chargers have arranged a visit for Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, giving Njoku what figures to be his best opportunity to land somewhere before training camp approaches.
The Chargers currently list Oronde Gadsden and Charlie Kolar as their top tight ends, with Will Dissly and Tucker Fisk both unsigned and Tyler Conklin having departed in free agency.
Los Angeles did not draft a tight end this past weekend despite tight end being a recognizable positional need, which all but telegraphed that a post-draft free agent addition was coming.
Why the Fit Works
Njoku at his peak is exactly what the Chargers need alongside Gadsden to give Herbert two legitimate receiving options from the position.
Gadsden made a strong first impression as a rookie with 664 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 13.6 yards per catch and establishing real chemistry with Herbert in the process.
Adding a veteran like Njoku as the secondary option in two-tight end sets creates the kind of matchup problem defenses cannot solve with a single linebacker or safety.
Former #Browns FA TE David Njoku is visiting #Chargers on Monday, source said. Interesting one. pic.twitter.com/GkQAd4pu15
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2026
Herbert has never had a truly dominant tight end in his offensive arsenal, and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme is built around creating favorable personnel groupings.
Njoku's 6-foot-4 frame, his ability to line up in-line or in the slot, and his career-long reputation as a willing blocker who can also stress middle-of-the-field coverage fits McDaniel's idea.
Los Angeles carries over $45 million in cap space, comfortably leading the league, which means the cost of a short-term incentive-laden deal for Njoku creates zero roster strain.
His market value has declined sharply from the four-year, $56.75 million extension he signed with Cleveland, and a deal in the range of $5 to $8 million annually is now realistic for a team willing to bet on the 29-year-old finding his footing in a new environment.
What the Chargers Are Evaluating
The questions around Njoku have driven his market this slow.
A knee injury limited him to 12 games in 2025, where he produced just 33 catches for 293 yards.
He turns 30 in July, and a player who has missed meaningful time in two of the last three seasons is not an obvious building block. The Ravens met with him in March and passed.
VISIT: Free agent TE David Njoku is set to meet with the Chargers on Monday, per @rapsheet.
— Preme Football (@premefootball) May 2, 2026
Njoku already confirmed earlier this offseason that he wouldn’t be returning to Cleveland.
In 118 games with the Browns:
🔶 384 receptions
🔶 4,062 yards
🔶 34 TDs
Big-time weapon when… pic.twitter.com/9y2RveKn36
That is not an encouraging data point.
But the Chargers have the cap room to absorb a modest one-year deal with minimal downside, they have a clear starting role available, and they have a quarterback who can make any receiving option look better given time and a clean pocket.
Photo Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
